Protesters address coal slurry

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A member of the environmental group RAMPS, Radical Action for Mountain People’s Survival, will face criminal charges for taking his opposition to the coal industry to the steps of the Governor’s Mansion.

The Rock Creek man, who is accused of obstruction and trespassing, chained himself to a barrel of black water which represented coal slurry. He was removed from the property on Wednesday afternoon.

In Raleigh County, two other members of RAMPS paddled into the Shumate slurry impoundment with protest banners.

They said state officials have not done enough to protect citizens from the, what they called, the abuses of the coal industry and the dangers tied to coal slurry disposal.